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Bioenergy missing piece of Australia's energy policy puzzle

Bioenergy International

Policy

June 28, 2017

Bioenergy is part of the solution to building a reliable, affordable and renewable energy mix for Australia that is good for the environment, the economy and regional jobs, according to Bioenergy Australia.

According to Heather Bone, Director of Bioenergy Australia (BA), an information and networking forum fostering the use of biomass for energy and bio-based products Australian policy makers should recognise that bioenergy uniquely provides both renewable and secure baseload energy, which would complement intermittent renewables like wind and solar.

Bioenergy can also support regional jobs and industries while creating a genuine renewable substitute for fossil fuels, including co-firing renewable biomass in existing coal-fired power stations to significantly reduce emissions, she said.

A recent report in the Sydney Morning Heald on co-firing renewable wood waste to reduce emissions from Australia’s ageing coal power stations as part of Australia’s transition to clean energy highlights the flexibility and potential of bioenergy.

Bioenergy is a flexible renewable energy source that can be used across all three energy sectors and unlike other renewables it is also dispatchable and baseload. Bioenergy has the potential to play a much greater role in reducing Australia’s emissions and has significant potential to be at the forefront of being a renewable solution in Australia, particularly given our very large agricultural sector, if the policy settings are right, said Bone.